ROWDY punters crowded together outside the Dockle Farmhouse after the pub closed.

Witnesses say there was fighting and shouting though a Wetherspoon spokesman said staff did not see any violent confrontations on Saturday night.

Hundreds of customers flocked to the popular Stratton pub for the first weekend in months where outdoor hospitality was allowed.

One pub-goer who wished to remain anonymous claimed the pub closed earlier than expected and hurried everyone out at once.

He added: "At 9.50pm, I asked the manager what their closing time was, as Google stated 10pm. He advised us 11pm, and our last drink order went through after 10pm.

"At 10.30pm, we were asked to leave and escorted to the car park at 10.40pm. Groups were breaking away into arguments or pushing and shoving.

"Staff and bouncers were at the main door so they couldn’t have missed it, and many residents heard from their houses.

"There were young adults arguing across the garden and it was clear then that something was starting, as was the lack of staff attention.

"I can see us going back into lockdown because of this, it's dreadful. 

"The female toilets were eight to 10 people deep the entire night and the gents was always full. If they couldn’t manage the toilets I’m not sure what made them feel they could manage young adults kicking off.

"The staff are inadequate of managing any intense situations. The pub used to be a family friendly place. Now it’s run by the drinkers and the reputation will continue to decline."

Video footage of the crowd in the pub's car park appeared online and sparked outrage.

One commenter said: "Here we go again, seems they haven't learned their lessons from last year, displaying lack of care for their neighbours."

Another agreed: "We ordered our drinks at 10.20pm after being told it was closing at 11. Within 10 minutes, bouncers were booting everyone out with no explanation.

"While there were young ones gobbing off across the pub to each other, it didn’t seem too bad. But once outside, it was like a free for all."

Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: “The pub did not close earlier than advertised. The pub stopped serving at 10pm and allowed a one hour drinking up time.

“Around 50 per cent of the customers left at about 10:30pm and the remaining between 10:45 and 11pm.

“The pub have a dispersal plan in place that means customers don’t leave through the garden but leave through the pub and exit through the rear car park.

“This was in place last year after some issues with residential complaints about noise at closing time.

“Approximately 100 of the 400 customers had gathered in the adjacent car park and car wash area. This was monitored by the pub team but not door staff.

“The pub team have said that they did not witness any fights between anyone in the group. The police attended about 30 minutes later to disperse the group. As far as the pub manager is aware there was still no fighting or arrests made.

“The pub’s management has put in further measures to disperse customers further away from the pub and further down the road.

“It has increased door staff numbers, as well as now keeping them on until the customers have left the area not just removing them from the pub.

“Additionally the car park adjacent to the pub will be manned in order to disperse people from there too. “

A Wiltshire Police spokesman said: “Shortly after 11pm on Saturday, officers out on patrol attended Bridge End Road in Swindon due to reports of a disorder.

“When they arrived the group had dispersed and they found no evidence of any crimes being committed.

“No arrests were made.”